The Other Swan Girl
by The.World.Will.Never.Do
Summary: Isabella is a lady in waiting for Queen Kate of England. What happens when King Edward, her husband takes notice in Isabella? Will the reign of England completely change as we know it? Based of the Tudor era.
1. Isabella

**I don't own Twilight in any way.**

Court was a lovely time in the spring, especially in England. There were jousts, hunting, riding, masquerades, and other sporting matches. The ladies in waiting would be itching to leave the Queen's rooms, having a serious case of spring fever. As patient as I was, I was known to get it as well. The Queen also loved being outdoors. Whenever there was an entertainment event, the ladies would be surrounding her outside, enjoying the festivities as well. The King loved to joust and hunt with his men. Everyone loved the exciting jousting events. Betting was popular among the men, but no one bet against the King. His men always let him win. He was also a rider and sometimes played in a few tennis matches. The King loved the rush of adventure and risk. He did a lot of things ouside, taking advantage of the lovley spring weather.

My name is Isabella Swan. My younger sister and I, Rosalie, are ladies in waiting for Queen Kate of England. She is the most wonderful Queen. Everyone in court adores her, women and men. She has much dignity, as a Queen should, and never forgets who she is. She is just lovley. You can tell how much grace she has, even at first glance. I admire her strength. I haven't known a situation where she hasn't gotten through it calm and collected. She was raised with tough bones, that was for sure. I would wilt like a shrinking flower when faced with anger and pressure. Not the Queen. She would never let anyone talk to her like that. She knows excatly who she is. I love the kindness she has inside of her. She has never raised her voice at any of her ladies, no matter the situation. That would also have to do with her endless amount of patience. The Queen's beauty is angelic, in many ways. She has wheat blonde hair, and dark brown colored eyes. Her skin is very pale in contrast, but it's what makes her all the more lovely. She has a daughter named Maria, and is said to be a great mother. Maria is a small young girl, not yet in court. She is away from court, being educated by the best of teachers. Speaking of children, she is the only child of the King and Queen. Although the subject is not discussed before the King, everyone in court buzzes with gossip. They talk about how the Queen is getting older each day, almost forty. It will be almost impossible for her to give the King a male heir soon.

In court, you must know your place, and do as you're told. Rosalie and I have an older brother named Jasper. He is one of the King's men in the court and is highly regarded by the King himself. In our family, our Father and Uncle use us as pawns to climb higher up in ladder of superiority in the court. But we always do as were told, there is no questioning it. When we are young, are whole futures are planned out by them. They expect you to listen to them, but remain silent.

King Edward is the husband of Kate. There was only one thing that Rosalie has to say about him; handsome. I completely and wholeheartedly agree with her. He has beautiful copper hair and eyes as green as the grass. He is very athletic and acts like a young boy sometimes. But Kate is devoted to him of course, not matter what. Edward is the King, after all. They love each other very much. The King also has a certain charm to him, not to mention wit.

* * *

I sat on the edge of my bed, looking at Rosalie sleepily. She was brushing her long, golden hair while sitting at the vanity. She started her morning the same way everyday. It began and usually ended with her beautiful hair. I yawned and stretched my arms out above my head. I was still waking up, exhausted from the previous day. I had done a lot of sweing for the Queen. I was still in my white nightgown. Rosalie was still in her own, as well. It was early in the day, but the court was already wide awake. Outside, people were coming and going in horse drawn carriages on the hearth. Hustle and bustle was always going on outside. The time of day never slowed anyone down. The blue birds were chirping and the bright sun was shining. It was a beautiful and cheerful spring day, not to be wasted with sleep. I stood up, and walked over to Rose.

"Come on sissy," I told her. She was still brushing her hair. "I think you've spent enough time looking in the mirror. We have to get ready." Rosalie glared at me through the glass of the mirror. She could be so vain sometimes. It didn't make me love her any less, however.

"You know," she began, "Some of us actually want to look good," attitude evident in her voice. I sighed. She could be so petulant. I did have to admit though, she was a beauty. Men swooned over her, hoping to be noticed by the stunning Rosalie. She lured men into a trap like a fishermen with fish. Like the Queen, Rosie had blonde hair. But Rose's hair was a golden shade, while Kate's was lighter. They were both beautiful, nevertheless.

I walked over to the wardrobe on my side of the room, and pulled out a gown. It was made of blue satin silk with a triangular bodice. It was just one of my common dresses. I never wore anything too extravagent unless it was for a special dance or different event.

"Rosalie, will you lace me up?" I asked, in the kindness voice possible. Rosalie huffed, standing up. She walked over and tied the laces tightly, as I lost breath with each yank that she pulled. I thanked her and inspected myself in the mirror. It looked nice, especially for spring. Rose always told me blue was my color.

Rosalie pulled a rich red gown out of her own wardrobe, and I returned the favor of lacing her up. I walked over to the mirror, and quickly ran the brush through my locks, taking much less time than Rose. I only did it quick enough to remove the tangles. I didn't like to spend too much time on it. My hair hung stick straight down my back. Usually, Rose helped me style it that way before bed. Naturally, it was wavy. Satisfied with y apearance, I turned to Rose. "Are you done getting ready?" I asked. She nodded, and then we left the bed chamber together.

As soon as we stepped out, Jasper happened to be walking by towards the staircase. Rose and I broke out into grins. It was great to see his honey colored hair again. I laughed inwardly at the thought.

"Jas!" cried Rosalie. She picked up her long skirts and ran over to him. He smiled warmly at her when he heard her voice and embraced our sister in a hug. "Rosie, it's so good to be back," Jasper said. He had been away from home, attending business with Father and Uncle away from court. He had only been away for a week, but it always felt longer with Jasper gone.

"I was just on my way to say hello to mother," he added. "Would you like to come along?" Jasper asked politley. It was great to see Jasper, but I was in no mood for it to be ruined with talk of mother. I had a feeling Rosalie didn't either. He speaking up confirmed by suspicions.

"Of course not," said Rosalie with disgust, as though the idea repulsed her. Our mother was the epitome of coldness. It seemed as though she could care less about the three of us. She had _somewhat_ of a likeness for Jasper, but only because he was the male child. Jasper shrugged, but then saw me over the shoulder of Rosalie. I had remained in the spot where after I had first spotted him. He smiled at me and waved me over. I broke out into a grin as well, and went to greet Jasper. This day had been going wonderfully so far.

"How have you been, brother?" I asked. I always missed Jasper when he traveled. It seemed like he always enjoyed himself though. He often rode through the counrty, coming back to tell us stories. He also said that he would never tarde it for court though. I didn't think I would either, but you never knew

I gave my brother a hug. He smiled happily at me. "I have been well," he answered shortly in reply to my question. "On the way, we passed through the country. I think you would like it there," he added. I couldn't wait until he told me the whole story. Jasper was a good story teller.

Rosalie felt she needed to cut in. "The country? It doesn't sound too great to me." Of course she wouldn't like it. The counrty was nothing like court. I often thought that if I ever was to go to the country, I would be able to manage it. I didn't think Rosalie would be abel to do the same.

"I have never been there, so I would not know," I replied. Jasper took my hand and kissed it, like a true gentlemen. "Yes, Isabella, I know you would like it. Now I am off to say hello to mother. I'll see you ladies later." We both curtsied, and once he ascended the first few stairs, we headed to the Queen's rooms, already running a little late.

The Queen's room was a happy place. The ladies were all talking, playing cards to occupy the time, and some were helping Kate stitch an outside scene with needles and thread. It was one of her favorite past times. The Queen enjoyed domestic work, much like me. Kate looked up when Rosalie and I entered the room. "Welcome Lady Isabella and Lady Rosalie. Take a seat, but Isabella, won't you help me with this?" she asked, gesturing towards the blanket. She knew I was skilled at it, like her.

"Of course, your majesty," I said. I took a seat next to the other ladies who were helping. Among them sat Alice Brandon, a good friend of mine in court. I smiled in hello to her. She nodded cheerfully back. Rosalie went and sat with some other girls who were playing cards by the window. If she wasn't asked to help stitch, she wouldn't volunteer. She loved playing cards. She was great at betting. But it was an honor to be chosen to help the Queen with her sewing, whether how dreadfully boring it could be.

Not after long, Queen Kate and the rest of us ladies left to go watch the jousting match. That was enough work for now. Of course, we would all be cheering for the King today, whether or not he was going up against a better jouster than himself. I wasn't even sure if he was playing today. Just the his men of court might be playing today. Jasper would be jousting today against Emmett McCarty, another man of court. We took our seats near the Queen, and got ready to watch. I sat in the middle of Alice and Rosalie, making myself comfortable. There was a nice breeze, and it was just the perfect temperature.

"How are you, Alice?" I asked. Her long, raven colored hair was styled in a bun with no headress. She was originally from Spain, so it explained her rich colored hair, deep, brown eyes, and tanned skin. My eyes were brown as well, but mine were a milk chocolate color. Alice was a veryy exuberant person for her petite frame. She was one of my closest friends at court. Unlike a lot of the ladies, she was purley kind. She loved to be entertained, but she wasn't a schemer. I enjoyed spending my time with her. Sometimes, you could only take so much of Rosalie. I loved her, but sometimes she could be condescending.

"Who could be better at the court in spring time!" she exclaimed. I laughed. I loved Alice's spirit. She was always, happy, bubbly, and energetic. I needed some of her positive energy. It seemed as though she had an endless supply of it.

"I couldn't agree more, Miss Alice," I replied, in a jovial mood. I was starting to catch her cheerfullness.

"Oh, not Miss for much longer. Father says he has found someone for me to wed," Alice replied, matter-of-factly. I rasied my eyebrows. Alice was only a year older than I was.

In court, your marriage is arranged by the family. If your lucky, you might fall in love with the man you are arranged with. Some aren't so lucky. What the family looked for in a spouse was that they had to have a high place in the social ladder. Money was an important aspect too. The person couldn't be a nobody, and you just couldn't just marry for love. Rosalie and my own marriage had not been arranged yet, by I knew my own was probably going to come soon. For some, it happened sooner than later. But it all seemed to happen quicker then we were ready. I was seventeen, and Rosie was fifteen, going on sixteen. Typically, the earliest girls around the court married youngest at fourteen. Jasper was eighteen, and father told me he had already found someone, and he would announce it soon. Maybe Alice and Jasper's wedding would be close in date. Just thinking about it made me excited.

I smiled enthusiastically at Alice. "That's great! Do you know who?" I asked. I was really curious, but if she didn't know, Alice was probably even more curious than me. She shook her head.

"Father won't tell me, but he always says, 'Only the best for my Ali,' so I know the man must be great." I nodded, but in Alice's father's mind, a great boy could have an awful personality and heart, but have pockets that were bulging with money.

Rosalie had been talking to a girl on the other side of her, but now she felt to let us know the joust was about to begin. "Shh!" she told us. "Jasper and Emmett are about to go!" I looked out onto the field. Emmett and Jasper had both mounted their horses, and were ready to start.

The red flag was waved, signaling the start. Everyone started to cheer as soon as they were off. Rosalie was leaning forward in her seat. I had a slight feeling that she had a fancy for Emmett. Emmett was quite large, and was the better jouster. He did have an advantage after all. Jasper happened to be better than the King though. It was all about the technique of each player. But of course, Edward loved to win so Jasper always lost on purpose. The cheering went on, as did the match. All of a sudden, Emmett knocked Jasper's jousting stick out of his hand with brutal force. Emmett had won the match. Rosalie stood up applauded with joy. Alice and I clapped as well, but she had a small pout as she did so.

"I had hoped Jasper would win," she said. I agreeded. I didn't really care for Emmett, especially for his reputation. "Ah well. Emmett is much bigger, isn't he?" I nodded in agreement with her. Jasper was never much of one for the joust. He loved to hunt and ride more. I stood up, following the Queen and the rest of the ladies back inside.

It was just a few hours before the feast. I inteneded on going to the Queen's room, maybe to help out with some more stitching, but Father and Uncle called us into their chamber. Rosalie and Jasper were already sitting at the wooden table at the center of the room. My mother, Renee sat off to the side with my Aunt Esme. My father, Charlie, and my Uncle Carlisle, were sitting at the head of the table. I took a seat next to the bored looking Rosalie. She always looked like she was going to fall asleep when Uncle talked. I didn't think she liked him very much, but neither did I.

"Alright," my Uncle began. "Now we can begin." He stood up, facing Jasper, who was sitting across from us. "Jasper, we have found you a wife," he started. Jasper raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Who?" he asked. I was interested to hear the answer to this too.

Uncle folded his hands behind his back. "Alice Brandon. They have money and her father is a duke. He has a very important position in the court and…" After that, I let myself tune out of the conversation. He was going to marry Alice. Thank God. I thought for sure he would be stuck with the horrible Jane Volturi. She was his age and the Volturi family was known for beautiful daughters, like our family. Jane had a few beautiful sisters and cousins, be she was dreadful. She was beautiful of course, but had the worst personality. She loved to scheme, was controlling, and cold as ice in winter. Nobody really cared for her, except the gold diggers and men.

Uncle had finished talking. I had missed most of the conversation, but heard the important parts. He dismissed Rosalie and I, but wanted to talk to Jasper a little bit more. Jasper would meet us at the feast. Rose and I quickly exited the room. We hurried towards the staircase, picking up our skirts as we went. Once we got to the bottom, Rosalie looked around, making sure we were alone.

"Can you believe it?" she asked. "She's going to marry a Brandon!" I frowned. Rose didn't say it disgustedly, but surprised, like she couldn't believe it.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked. "Alice is really sweet," I added. Rosalie rolled her eyes at me. She always had an answer for everything.

"Yes, Alice is fine. But she has two older brothers who have scandalous reputations. What if Jasper is known for that? I know Alice is as innocent as a mouse, but he's going into an immoral family. I'm just thinking about Jasper," she finished. I could see where she was coming from. Her brothers were known for that, bedding women before leaglly married, bedding other women when they _were_ married, and many more unsightly deeds. I didn't want Japser's reputation to be hurt by that either. Rosie was only caring for Jasper, like I did too. We would just have to wait until the feast. Jasper could tell us more about it later, perhaps.

"Come on," I said, grabbing her arm. "Let's go to the feast. We can talk about this more later."

**AN: Thanks for reading. Leave a review so I know if I should continue with the story. The first two chapters are a bit short, because you are being introduced to the story. But the third chapter is long, and will start getting into all the good details of the story.**


	2. The King

**I don't own twilight in any way.**

I took my spot at the table for the feast. Rosalie seated herself somewhere on the other side of the table. She usually sat next to our father. I watched as other noticable people from court walked in. I looked over my shoulder as Alice entered the room. She had changed out of her simple yellow gown that she had been wearing earlier into a more extravagant plum shade. There was gold detail on it, but it didn't look like something that she would normally wear. Alice loved getting new dresses and finding new ways to style them, but it looked a little too guady for her. It must be for Jasper, I thought. Her father must have told her about the upcoming marriage. I fought the urge to bite my lip. It was a bad habit.

Alice took the seat next to me. As she sat, she didn't say anything, which was unlike her. Usually she was the one who would start the conversation. She always had something on her mind that she wanted to share. I decided to be polite, and she would tell me about Jasper when she wanted and was ready to.

"Hello, Alice," I greeted her. She looked a bit weary. I fiddled with a strand of my mahogany hair. I took in the expression on her face. She looked a little pale, which was also unlike her. Alice always had a nice color to her skin. I once again fought the urge to bite my lip. What if she was distressed over the marriage? I could imagine it being scary, getting married at a young age to someone you might not even know arranged by your father. But Jasper was a great person. All throughout my childhood, he had always been there for Rose and I. He had always been the sensible and logic one. I always felt safe with him.

"Hello," Alice answered back softly. Her voice was almost a ghostly whisper. I had to strain my ears to hear her. Alice was staring down at her lap, smoothing out the creases in her dress. I thought about giving her a compliment on it to make her feel more at ease, but decided to ask about her well-being first. She didn't seem like she was faring well. Alice and I were friends, and I did care about her.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, worriedly. She looked up at me. Her brown eyes looked haunted. She sighed. It sounded like a baby defeated bird. "Father told me who I was to marry," she replied drearily. I started to panic. I didn't like the tone of her voice. It sounded as though she was bored with the subject already, and didn't wish to discuss it. What if she treated Jasper horribly because she didn't like him? I didn't want him to have a wife like Jane Volturi. I cared for Alice, but Jasper came first.

"You don't like the man your father has planned for you to wed?" I asked, nocholantly. I couldn't help the rising panic in my voice, trying to keep it at bay. I don't think Alice caught on to it though. It seemed as though she was off in her own head, worrying about her own problems. I folded my hands in my lap. I hope this conversation wouldn't head in the wrong direction. I didn't want Alice to think I was snooping.

Alice sighed again. "He seems like a nice man. My father has arranged for me to marry your brother, actually. I hope he didn't want to be the first one to tell you. Anyways, I did have my sights set on another. I know I shouldn't have hoped but…" she trailed off uncertainly.

I cut in, quickly. I decided to play a little dumb and act like Jasper hadn't already told me about the marriage. "Alice, Jasper is a great man and a wonderful brother. He will make a wonderful husband for you. You have nothing to worry about. And about that other man; you should have known better than to think you could marry for love. The day we our born, our parents will have our life planned out as though it was a map for navigational course. Who was the man, anyways?" I asked. I was all too curious to know. I hoped my little talk would knock some sense into her. I waited patiently for Alice to answer. She seemed skeptical on giving me that information. I wished she wouldn't be so tight lipped.

"It doesn't matter, Isabella," she replied. It seemed as though her patientce was wearing thin with me. "I will never be with him. But Jasper is kind, I suppose." I nodded my head in agreement. Alice was right about one thing. He may be just as ambitious as our Uncle to climb high in the rankings of the court, but unlike Uncle Carlisle, he had a heart while doing it. I admired Jasper for that. "Yes, he is," I said, agreeing with Alice.

The large wooden doors on the other side of the room opened up. All the chatter stopped, and everyone sat up straight. The King and Queen, side by side, entered the Hall. The Queen walked with such grace and elegance, that I envied her. I had always been somewhat clumsy, not very graceful. When I was younger, it had been much worse. I was told I would grow out of it. I did, mostly, but there were still some traces left that all the schools of properness couldn't erase. Rosalie always said that it would take practice, but at my rate she told me, I would never be as graceful as her. I didn't disagree with her. The King looked overly happy, as he always did. The two of them took their seats at the head of the table. King Edward had a huge smile plastered on his face. It seemed like he had something to say.

"Evening everyone!" he exclaimed exuberently. "This night calls for a celebration." He pointed in Jaspers direction. Jasper had managed to slip in a few minutes ago, unnoticed. He was sitting next to Uncle Carlisle at the table. They must have finished up with their discussion. I hoped everything was alright. I couldn't tell. Jasper's face seemed to be expresionless, until the King directed his little speech at him. He perked up for that. I turned my attention back to the King.

"A few of our men have been away from court, attending business for me. I welcome them back warmly. I also want congratulate the winners of today's joust." He listed off names, which included Emmett's. Emmett sat at the other end of the table from the King. He was beaming brightly, as if his ego couldn't get any bigger. The man was notorious for his escapades with women. He was conceited on the inside and out. I couldn't believe Rosalie was interested in him. Sure enough, she was looking over at him dreamily. I shook my head. Little sister's always seemed to be infatuated with love and lust. They were also usually naive.

"Now, let's eat!" Edward exclaimed, joviality thick in the air. The King loved to be entertained and have fun. There was always music, dancing, and other merriment going on during the days and nights at court. There was almost never a dull moment. I looked over at Edward. He was looking right at me. I quickly averted my gaze to the plate of food that sat before me. That was odd. I don't think I've ever been notcied before. Sure, when there were other ladies around the King would sometimes talk to me. But he talked to all of the Queen's ladies. After a short chat, he would have thought nothing of it. Alice must of seen too. She was nudging me, which was unladylike, but I let it go. I didn't want to make a scene.

"What?" I asked quietly, irritation evident in my voice. I had enough of her antics for one night, and didn't want to draw attention to the fact that the King was staring at me. Alice rolled her eyes. It didn't seem like she was downtrodden any more about the marriage any longer. Alice seemed to be back to her good natured personality. I was still deciding which one I liked better.

"Don't worry, nobody can hear us. The conversation amongst the others is too loud. But did you see Edward? He was looking straight at you, almost as if you were something to eat!" she giggled, pushing her hair back. She was always _so_ over exuberant, making a bigger deal out of things than they usually were. I huffed, but she brushed it off. Alice went on.

"I bet Jasper said something about you. To Edward," she added, as if I didn't know who we were talking about. "You've often said how close your brother is to the King, Isabella." I had my eyes trained on my food, resisting the temptation to sneak a glance at Edward. I turned to Alice instead.

"Yes," I said slowly and cautiously. "He is one of Edward's closest men. But I've always been invisible before," I replied. "He is the King, after all. Why would he ever look my way twice?" I took another sip of my wine. Edward was so handsome. It was unbearable to think about dancing with him, the King. I was almost positively sure he wasn't interested in me. Why would he be? To be honest, there was nothing special about me. I didn't have Rosalie's beauty. I couldn't sing like she did. I didn't have her natural charm and wit that lured men into her grasp. The King should be interested in her. He could potentially have anyone he wanted, after all.

Alice shrugged at my protests. "All I know is that he hasn't been able to keep his eyes off you all dinner." Alice went back to eating her food. I didn't feel so hungry anymore. I felt nervous. I looked up towards Rosalie. She was looking right in my direction, with suspicious eyes. She must have seen the Edward looking at me. What did she suspect me of? She couldn't possibly think me of his mistress? I was aghast at the thought. She always analyzed something and thought more of it than it was, just like Alice. I brushed off her look and finished eating.

After dinner, Jasper and Rosalie found me as I was making way to my chamber. I was prepared to ask him about the news of his upcoming marriage when I saw him, but he had other ideas. He wanted to talk about Edward and me, as did Rosalie. I listened patiently. I was impartial to the thought that the King could be interested in me, but they seemed to be roused up about it. I decided to let them speak. They would find a way to bombarde me no matter what.

"Did you see the way the King was gaping at her?" Rosalie asked Jasper in disbelief, starting out the conversation. To be honest, I was just as surprised as she was. "I mean, I never…!" Jasper put a hand on her arm to quiet her. If he didn't quite Rosalie now, he would never get his say in.

"I did Rosalie," he answered. Jasper smiled at me. "I did say something to the King, though. Don't think I didn't put any work into this," Jasper joked. I gaped at him. He couldn't be serious. I shook my head, aggravated.

"What did you say?" I asked, intrigued. It must have good things. I looked over at Rosalie. She was looking at me like she couldn't believe it. I knew what she was thinking. She thought that the King should have noticed _her. _I should have expected her to speak up sooner or later. There was no way that she would have remained quiet, even if Jasper asked.

"How could you not speak of _me_?" Rosalie shouted at Jasper. I winced at the volume of her voice. "You should have spoken of me," she said, whipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. Jasper closed his eyes and sighed. He seemed a little stressed. I didn't blame him. Rosalie could tire anyone out. He didn't need this right now. He just discovered that he was going to be married.

"Rosalie, you are beautiful, but you are still younger than Isabella. There is a large enough age gap between the two of them, let alone you!" he reasoned. I smoothed out my dress, trying to keep my calm. Age differences didn't matter, even if they were sometimes uncomfortable. A cousin of ours had only been fifteen when she married a thirty year old man.

Jasper turned to me. "I told Edward about your caring heart and your natural beauty. All the good things don't worry," he said. I folded my arms. I knew why he was doing this. It wasn't because he wanted me to have a happy mirage and fall in love. He wanted the King to be interested in me, because it could help the advancement of the family. I was guessing he realized I was figuring that out, because he abruptly changed the topic.

"You girl's better head to bed. It's late," Jasper said quickly. He kissed each of our hands, and then turned on his heel and was gone. Rosalie and I took the staircase to our own room. We were both tired and I was in a daze from our conversation. I knew Rosalie would have to get her say in about all of this.

My sister and I helped unlace one another before slipping into our night gowns. Rosalie sat on her bed and ran a brush through her locks. She took it as an opportunity to talk. I was washing my face with the cool water that had been brought to the room before we had arrived, but I still listened.

"You have to accept his advancements," she began. I looked over my shoulder at her in surprise. All I had heard from her earlier was jealously and resentment. I wondered why she changed her mind. She rolled her eyes at me. "Don't give me that look. You know that I'm talking about the King. It will raise the family on the social ladder." She went back to brushing her hair. "Perhaps it will help me marry a noble," she said dreamily. "Father and Uncle with benefit from it too," she added.

I dried my face with a towel. "And what will become of me? Don't get me wrong sister, nothing would please me more than to spend time with the King. But Edward is married. I would only ever be his mistress. After that I wouldn't be wanted. And Kate! I could never do that to her while I served in her court, let alone ever," I told her. It was too horrible to even think about. I took a seat on the bed across from Rose.

She set her brush down and started to ready her bed. "Your right," she began. "But you might be able to give Edward something Kate can't; an heir. Everyone knows she won't be able to conceive soon. She is getting older everyday. The only child she ever gave him was a girl. He can't do anything with a girl. You know a girl heir is useless. He needs a boy."

"But what if the son I gave him was deemed a bastard?" I asked. If I did give him a child, I would still be his mistress, and the child wouldn't be legal. It was hard to say what he would do.

Rosalie shrugged. "It would be the chance you would have to take for the family. You must always obey the family. We both know that this won't go unnoticed by Father and Uncle Carlisle. They will eventually bring it up, even if Jasper has to tell them." Rosalie crawled under the warm covers. I started to ready my bed as well.

I didn't know how to reply to that. Why did I ever have to get into this situation? Edward made my heart beat fast, but I figured I would be able to get over my crush on the King once I married. But if I was to be his mistress, a lot of things could happen. If it went bad, I could be banished from court to nowhere. I would be living in shame. I didn't know if I could handle that.

"You never know," said Rosalie. "If things went well, he might even leave the Queen for you." I doubted that would happen. I didn't think the Church would allow it. I crawled under the covers, staring at the ceiling. There was no way I would be getting any sleep tonight. I looked over at Rosalie. It seemed like she was already starting to drift under sleep. I sighed, and then turned on my side. I had no idea what I was going to do. The only thing I could do was wait for the morning.

**AN: Thanks to anyone who reveiwed, favorited, or story alerted for this story. I love the comments. Feel free to ask questions and such.**


	3. Masquerade

**I do not own twilight.**

I sat at a table in the Queen's room playing a game of cards with Alice Brandon and her older brother Phillip. I was loosing, as usual. I never bet much. I was a terrible card player. Rosalie sat on a window seat, sewing a shirt. The Queen often had us sewing clothes for the poor. It didn't matter who the shirts were given to, the stitches had to be perfect. Rose wasn't one for domestic work. She would much rather be singing for the court or entertaining people. That was just her personality. At least Kate wasn't in the room to see her dreadful work. She and the King were in her chamber. The rest of the ladies and I were busying ourselves while we waited for her to come out, and sometimes a few men came to join us. I turned my attention back to the card game. Phillip was winning. Alice had her face scrunched up in concentration. She was a real con artist sometimes I would tease her that she was a precognition. She would always get mad then, telling mw how I dare suggest she was involved in witchcraft and it was a terrible thing to joke about. I tended to ignore her. I threw my cards down. I might as well give in now. Phillip was likely to win.

"I'm out," I replied in defeat. I stood up with a sigh. "You two are too good for me." Alice giggled. It was a good thing I didn't bet too much. Otherwise, I would be out of a good amount of money. I didn't want to gamble away our family's fortune.

Phillip nodded indifferently. "Alright," he said. "It will be more money for me. Ali won't win, that is for sure." Alice shook her head. She always had to be stubborn with her brothers. They loved to tease her through. She was their little baby sister, after all. I would love to do that with Rosie, but we are too close in age. She doesn't like to be looked down upon and she it too petulant, anyways. She often had a dry sense of humor with me, while others not.

I walked over to where Rosalie sat by the window. It looked like she needed some help with her stitching. Her struggle was getting infuriating to watch. I gently took the cloth and needle from her hand, and examined the stitches. They were horrible. Not one of them was done right. I gave Rosie a look. "What?" she whined. "I'm still learning."

"Rose," I began. "You obviously are not. You don't even practice. What would the Queen say?" I asked. I began to unthread them, planning on starting over. This was an absolute mess. Alice's attention was always moving from one thing to the next, but she usually managed some decent stitching, unlike Rosie.

Rosalie had her arms folded like a young child. "I don't understand. The clothes are just going to the poor. Rich nobles aren't receiving them. Why can't they be done half-heartedly?" she asked. Rosalie just didn't listen.

"It doesn't matter to the Queen," I replied simply. And it was true. The Queen liked for everything to be done neatly and with care. Rosalie looked over my shoulder at my work. "You're much better than I am at it. A true craftsman," she said, laughing as she went. I shook my head.

"You would think a simple thank you would suffice," I said, irritation in my voice. She could be very ungrateful sometimes. Rosalie's negative qualities tended to show more often, rather than her good ones. But she did have them, I had witnessed. Her laughter died down. "I'm sorry," she replied smiling. "Thank you."

Edward and Kate emerged from her room. The King was already off; ready to attend to other business like usual, but not without shooting me a glance. It didn't seem like the Queen noticed. I was glad for that. Rosalie perceived the fleeting look as well. I knew there would be talk later from her. We couldn't do it now. Kate was calling her ladies. I watched as the King exited the room. I was probably looking after him with a dreamy look. I couldn't help it. Ever since Jasper told me that Edward was interested in me, I hadn't been able to rid it of my mind. I got of the bench with Rosalie and walked over to where the Queen always sat.

Kate assessed the work being done on the shirts. Most of the work done by some of the other ladies was very well. When Rosalie showed the Queen hers, Kate's eyebrows raised. "Rosalie," she began. "You've been at this for a while. You haven't even done a stitch." Rosie was about to speak, but I figured I should speak up. I was the one who unstitched the shirt. I decided to try and make light out of it. I didn't need Rosie fuming at me.

"Your Majesty," I began. "Rosalie can't do much with a needle, I'm afraid. I had to unstitch the whole thing! Perhaps, she will need a lesson or two," I smiled I tried to do it in a joking matter. It seemed to have the right effect on the Queen.

Kate smiled. "Lady Rosalie, you could learn a thing or two from your sister. Isabella, why don't you finish this shirt?" she asked. I took the shirt from Rose. I took her needle as well. I curtsied to the Queen. "Of course, your Majesty."

I took one of the seats near the Queen, starting on the shirt. The rest of the ladies got to work as well. Rosalie was looking over my shoulder, trying to copy my movements. I tried to help her as best as I could. It seemed like she just didn't have the knack for it. I tried to praise Rosie for her attempts. It seemed like she was trying. That was always a good thing with Rosalie.

After a while, the Queen dismissed most of us from our work. Rosalie immediately headed for the outdoors. I followed her, needing some fresh air myself. It was a lovely day. The sky was an ocean blue with a few white clouds in the sky, and the weather was pleasantly warm. Rose saw Jasper by the stream, walking under the trees with Alice. I felt like going to say hello, but decided not to intrude on their time together. They weren't holding hands, but were walking close enough for their shoulders to almost touch. It was difficult to asses the expressions on their faces, but I hoped they were happy together. Rosalie saw them as well.

"I wonder when the wedding is," she mused. I figured it would be soon. I doubt Father and Uncle would want to wait long. My guess was it would be within the week. While I was pondering my thoughts, someone called out Rosalie's name. We both turned to the sound of the deep voice. Not too far off, some men of court were having a game of archery. Among them was Emmett. I sighed. Of course he would want Rosalie to join in a game with them. Like I said before, she lured men into a trap with her beauty.

"Would you and your sister like to join us for a game?" Emmett called. Rosalie smiled. She grabbed my arm and pulled me along with her through the courtyard over to the game. She was dressed in a light pink dress, which was perfect for spring and looked great with her wheat colored hair. Her skirts dragged along the fresh green grass at the bottom and almost looked like pink flowers blooming. I was wearing a blue dress that matched the color of the daytime sky. It had some gold detail on the front of the triangular bodice. I had to agree that we both looked lovely, while I was usually plain.

Alice's two older brothers, Phillip and John were there, as well as a man named James and Peter. "You ladies ready for a game?" James asked, looking directly at me. I averted my gaze to Emmett as I walked over to him to get the arrows we would need for the match. I didn't have very good aim. I tried to stay away from the sports. Rosalie was skilled in these areas, especially with hunting. She loved to ride too.

"Of course," Rosie replied, smiling. She took her spot and put in a small share of coins. The men agreed that Rose should go first, and I should follow. They probably knew I was likely to take an eye out. Rosalie pulled back on the bow and shot the arrow. It almost landed right in the center of the target. We were pretty far away from it, so I know that if we had been a bit closer, she would've gotten it for sure. But the men were impressed with her skills, despite the distance.

"Well Miss Rosalie, it looks like we have some competition on our hands," joked Emmett. Rosalie grinned and played along. "I know you can't do any better than me, Emmett," she said, swishing her skirts flirtatiously. I stood there patiently, hoping the whole game wouldn't be full of their coy banter. I looked to the other man. Alice's older brothers looked almost as entranced as Emmett did. I shook my head mutely. James was in a conversation with Peter, so as usual, I felt like the odd one out.

"Isabella, it's your turn," said Emmett. I nodded and took an arrow from the ground. I set it in the bow, and pulled back on the band. I shot it and it hit the very edge of the wood target, as far as it could possibly be from the center. I frowned. Rosalie was laughing. "Oh dear Isabella, perhaps you should stay with domestic work like sewing." That got a laugh out of Emmett as well.

"All right then," I said. "I know I'm terrible. Who's next?" Following my turn, Emmett, James, Peter, Phillip, and John all went. Each player eventually fell out of the game, including me first, and the last two left standing were Emmett and Rosalie. I had to admit, I believed Rosalie was going to win. And she did. Rosalie shot her last arrow in the target, while Emmett missed by a few inches. She gleefully collected the coins. I think she mainly played for bragging rights, though.

"Congratulations, Lady Rosalie," Emmett said. "You have won fair and square. Might I see you at the ball tonight?" he asked. Rosalie was putting back her arrows.

"You might, if you wish," she said, her face plastered with and angelic smile. "I will be masked, after all." Emmett watched her, as though she were a complex problem. But I knew he wasn't the type of man to be interested in a romance. He was interested in woman for the lust.

"I would know you even with a mask on, Lady Rosalie," Emmett replied wittily back. The rest of his men and him left, heading back inside. Rosalie and I headed towards the stream hoping to catch Jasper if he hadn't already gone back inside.

The ball that Emmett spoke of was one of the few masquerades that happened at court often. Edward loved music and dancing and entertainment, so there were naturally many dances at the nights of court. The idea of the dance was that each man and lady was concealed in a mask, and at the end of a certain song they would all unmask themselves. Isabella particularly liked these masques the best because she could be anybody during the time she was hidden. She could be the elegant young woman she always wanted to portray, full of beauty and grace.

Jasper was sitting on a small white concrete bench under some willow trees by the stream. Rosalie and I walked over to him and took a seat on either side of Jasper. He must have been deep in thought because he looked up in surprise when we sat down. "Oh, hello sisters," he replied in monotone. Rosie placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" she asked. He nodded. "I'm fine." Jasper stood up. "Well, I suppose we should all be getting ready for the ball. Right?" he asked. Both of us nodded and headed inside.

Rosalie and I got ready in our chamber. I changed out of my blue dress from earlier and dressed in a white and gold dress. It was fairly simple. It still held a certain beauty and elegance though. Rosalie's dress was cream colored with no detail, but there was extravagant jewelry was paired with it. She looked lovely. I was proud to have her as my younger sister. I picked up my mask from where it sat on the vanity. It matched the dress perfectly. I placed the mask on my face and tied the strings around my head. I un-tucked my hair and looked into the mirror. My mahogany hair was straight, rather than my usual wavy style. Rosalie fashioned hers like that often, and I sometimes copied her motions, much to her displeasure. But her hair was curled tonight and it looked wonderful with her dress. I took one last look in the mirror. I was finished getting ready.

Not to long after, Rosalie finished getting ready as well. We made our way to the ballroom that was connected to the hall where the feast was held. When the two of us got there, music was already playing and the people of the court were already dancing. I spotted some of the Volturi girls already on the floor, as well as Jasper and Alice. He spotted us and said something quickly to Alice. She nodded and then they parted. He made his way over to us. He took Rosalie's hand and placed a kiss on it, and then followed with me. "What lovely sisters I have," he smiled.

Rosalie grinned brightly. She scanned the crowd, probably looking for Emmett. "Excuse me," she replied, and then left us. I raised my eyebrows while Jasper laughed. "Oh, pay no mind to her," Jasper said, obviously in good spirits. I was glad that his mood improved. I didn't like what the married life was doing to him. Why, the official wedding hadn't even happened yet. I tried to remain positive though. I would talk to Alice soon enough. Maybe I could find out what they were both feeling. Alice was a sweet girl, and I knew she would never hurt anyone intentionally. She could be good for Jasper, and he her. I wanted to ask him about the wedding but decided it would be good to keep him in light spirits.

"Do you know which one the King is?" Jasper asked, gesturing towards the people dancing. All I had to do was look for bronze hair and the best dressed gentlemen. It was always easy to pick out Edward from the crowd because he was always dressed the most extravagantly of the men. Kate was looking graceful, but she remained seated while the King danced. She was older than him and she never did much of the dancing. But she always sat royally in one of the two seats where the King and Queen sat and managed to be the most beautiful woman in the room.

"Yes," I said. He was dancing with a woman with a blonde that was bordering on red hair. It was very curly and I had a notion I knew who she was.

"Do you know who he is dancing with?" Jasper asked again. It was meant as a rhetorical question because he answered it for me. "That's Victoria. A Volturi," he added, as if I didn't know. That was the only Swan girl's major rival. The Voluturi family was known for beautiful daughters, just as the Swan family was known for.

"You better dance with him," he said, referring to the King. "You need to keep within his radar of interest." I nodded, understanding. I picked up my skirts a little bit and walked out onto the floor, as Jasper followed me.

The two of us started with each other, a hand to hand dance. Eventually, we switched out and I danced with a few other men, all disguised in masks. I glanced around me a few times, always looking out for Edward. I spotted him, dancing with Alice. Jasper happened to be dancing with me at the moment. I took it as an opportunity to dig for a little bit of information.

"Are you not jealous that Alice is dancing with the King?" I asked. I figured any other man would be a little envious. Jasper responded with a hearty laugh.

"Almost everyone ends up dancing with each other. Of course I'm not jealous." I should have known that would be his reply. He wasn't going to make this easy on me. I let out a little sigh. Jasper took it as his cue to speak. He must have realized it was better to speak up now than to have Rosalie and me bothering him until he did.

"Alice is a kind girl. I will treat her respectfully as a husband should. Hopefully the marriage won't be too horrid. And I know your wondering, the wedding is next week. I was just informed by father, myself." I absorbed the information, but realized I had to switch partners. Jasper and I had been talking a little bit too long. He must have realized it too, because at the next rotation, he switched partners. His new partner was Alice, and mine was Edward.

He looked devilishly handsome. Even with his mask on, I would recognize him anywhere. The whole court could, to be honest, but we all played along that we didn't have an idea who he was until the unmasking. I placed my hand against him. There were butterflies in my stomach, and I felt giddy.

He was quite a good dancer. I was mediocre. It was at this time that I wished for my dear sisters dancing skills. She was an enchantress. Yet, the King was dancing with me. At least I wasn't tripping over my own two feet.

"How beautiful you are," Edward said. We continued dancing, as I listened to him. "I do envy your husband right now." I had a slight feeling he knew who I was, but I couldn't be sure.

"There is nothing to envy," I told him, flirtatiously. It was almost time to switch partners. He didn't seem to care though. The violins were still playing the same lovely song that had been playing when we were partnered. I wanted to at least finish this song with him.

Edward was grinning at me. I gave him an innocent look, doe look. Rosalie, in the few times she had given me a compliment about my physical attributes, had said my face resembled that of a doe. She said I could use my look of innocence to my advantage with some men. It usually worked. It looked like it was working on Edward, too.

The song ended abruptly, transitioning into a different one. But then, the unmasking was announced. Everyone removed their masks. I untied mine quickly, letting the strings fall. I pulled it off and looked at Edward. He had his own mask off, and was smiling expectantly at me. I gave a false surprised gasp, as though I hadn't known it was him the whole time. He laughed at my shock.

"You are surprised," he told me matter-of-factly. I nodded.

"I did not know it was Your Majesty who I was talking to. I am in delight, though," I told him. In response, he took my hand and kissed it. He left me, walking away from the dance floor. Then, he announced in front of court that they would now dine. He went to the Queen's side, as she rose from her chair. She was looking at me, but not in a cruel and upset way. There wasn't any emotion in her eyes, so I didn't know what she was thinking. But jealousness was not one of them, I didn't think. Kate took Edward's arm and led her towards the dining hall.

Rosalie walked up next to me. Her mask was off too. Her blue eyes were following the royal family. She looked at me and smiled. She whipped her blonde curls and followed after them. I stood there for a few seconds before following her. I smoothed out my dress and made sure my hair was in place. Rosalie's curls always looked windswept, and didn't need to be in place to look good. My hair was straight tonight. Rosalie said it made me look some regal. I always listened to Rosalie.

Once we were all seated, I was next to Jasper on the end. On the other side of Jasper was Alice, who was looking quite grim. Rosalie sat near the other end of the table with Emmett and a few other men from court. There was heaping amount of food; meats, fish, salad, pastries. I didn't eat much, I wasn't very hungry. I sipped at some wine and had a little salad. Jasper gave me a quick look for not eating much.

It seemed that all eyes were on me tonight. It was something of which I was not accustomed to. My mother and father were at the table, stealing quick glances at me and talking steadily amongst the two of them. Whenever I looked up, Edward was looking at me as well. I would always glance away. I was conscious. I knew Rosalie would have possibly started right back at him, but I didn't have the confidence for that.

After dinner, we went down to another hall to listen to some music. Rosalie and I sat together on a window seat, while the rest of court talked and milled about. The King and the Queen came in together. Edward made his way towards me, while Kate sat down to talk to some of her ladies. Rosalie, it seemed, had taken on the task of distracting her. I was thankful for that. I loved the Queen, and even though Edward and I weren't doing anything wrong right now, it still felt wrong. I would never want the Queen to get hurt. All too many times Rosalie reminded me that she might have to. I had to do it for the family.

Edward sat beside me on the seat. I felt the butterflies come back. I tried to put them at bay. I wanted to have a conversation with Edward where I wasn't so nervous. He looked me up and down.

"How are you, Lady Isabella?" he asked. I smiled warmly at him.

"I am fine, your Majesty." I was going to ask how he was as well, but he interrupted.

"I am going riding tomorrow," Edward began. "Would you care to join me?" he asked.

"I would love to," I said. "But the Queen…" I replied, trailing off uncertainly. I was still her lady in waiting. I wondered if she could spare me.

"I will ask the Queen to let you go for the morning. I will tell her that you need some fresh air," he added, a grin on his face. I grinned back.

"That sounds wonderful to me," I told him. I looked over at Rosalie. She could only keep Kate preoccupied for so long. She was looking around for Edward. She spotted the two of us sitting together. She abruptly stood up, and suggested some dancing.

The King went to her side. The night didn't last too long after that. Edward danced with Kate, and I danced a little with Jasper and such. When the evening ended, I made way for Rosalie and my chamber. She caught up with me as I was ascending the stairs. "I just spoke with father," she said. "We are to have a family meeting right now."

"Right now?" I asked. "But it's late. I'm very tired," I said, sighing. Why did they need to have me summoned now? Couldn't it wait until morning?

"And you don't think I am?" Rosie asked in a snappy tone. "Jasper and I have to come too. Stop complaining, and come on." I followed Rosalie up the steps where Father and Uncle were waiting.

**AN: Thanks to anyone who left reviews or did anything else involved with this story. I hope the reviews keep coming!**


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